Resilient polymeric materials such as silicone elastomers are currently used for maxillofacial prostheses construction but the strength of these materials and their clinical performance need to be optimized with the addition of reinforcing fillers. This study investigates the effect of zirconia nanopowder addition on tear strength, tensile strength, elongation at break, Shore A hardness, surface roughness and cytotoxicity of VST-50 maxillofacial silicone. Silicone base was mixed with different amounts (1%, 2% and 3%) of zirconia nanopowder using a vacuum mixer. Silicone without filler was used as control for comparison. Scanning Electron Microscopy and Atomic Force Microscopy were utilized to assess the efficiency of high-shear vacuum mixing as filler dispersion method and the surface topography, respectively. Both SEM and AFM images showed that the zirconia nanopowder were distributed fairly well within the polymer. Statistically, highly significant increase in tear strength, tensile strength and hardness with non-significant decrease in elongation at break and non-significant increase in surface roughness were seen with 1% and 2% groups. Whereas with 3% group, there was significant improvement in tear strength, tensile strength and hardness but there was significant undesirable decrease in elongation and increase in roughness. Cytotoxicity test revealed that the addition of zirconia nanopowder was nontoxic to Rat Embryonic Fibroblast (REF) cells and there was non-significant change in the cell viability of all study groups after 24- and 72-hours incubation periods. In conclusion, the addition of 2% by weight nano zirconia to VST-50 maxillofacial silicone could be beneficial in enhancing its performance.
A progressive increase in the desire for environmentally friendly lubricants by users and strict government regulations for the use of these lubricants has provided an opportunity to use plant oils as biodegradable lubricants, therefore vegetable oils have been investigated to replace oil lubricants because of their maintaining the conditions of nature (environment) properties. In this paper, the influences of the blending ratio of mustard seeds oil with commercial mineral oil (SAE40) on the tribological characteristics were investigated and compared with mineral oil using the four-ball tribotester. Mustard seeds oil was blended with mineral oil at a volumetric ratio ranging from 22.5 to 90%. All experimental works were
... Show MoreThe role of drain in agricultural lands is to remove excess surface and subsurface water to create a good environment for root growth and to increase crops yield. The main objective of this research was to evaluate the performance of closed drains when using textile filter instead of crushed gravel filter. The research has been executed in the laboratory using a sand tank model and by using two types of the soil. One of soils was light soil (sandy soil) and the other heavy soil (loamy soil). The tests were classified into four cases; each case was supplied discharge during 10 days. The results showed that the amount of out flow when using graded crushed gravel filter is greater than the amount of out flow in case of usin
... Show MoreA sample of 168 tonsillitic subjects (93 males and 75 females), livin g in Baghdad was evaluated microbiologically. The patients had an age range of 3-35 years. Four bacterial species were isolated and identified. They were P-haemolyt ic Streptococcus ,(39.3%) Staphylococcus
... Show MoreObjectives: Many medication errors occur in the hospital, and these can endanger patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence of medication errors in hospitalized patients, and to categorize the most frequent types of errors, and to asses the possible measures that may prevent the occurrence of such errors.
Methods: A prospective, exploratory, and evaluative study, using direct observation method to detect medication errors in adult hospitalized patients in medical and surgical units in Baquba Teaching Hospital- Diyala-Iraq.. The files of 299 patients had been reviewed from July 2009 to September 2009, including medication orders and treatment sheets to detect existing errors. The detected errors were recorded and
Background : The number of primary hip arthroplasty is growing with every passing year. At present this surgical operation has no equal in the rate of yielding good results. Despite the fact that in many cases in the long term after surgery radiolucent lines around the cup are observed, the clinical outcomes remain satisfactory.
Aim of the study :To study the clinical and radiological manifestations of the aseptic loosening of the endoprosthesis
Methods: This is a prospective study based on an analysis of diagnostic findings of 51 patients with aseptic loosening of hip joint components, aged 30 to 84 years. We depend for diagnosis of a septic losing by both clinical evaluation and X-ray assessment Results:The majority of clinical a
Antacids are commonly used drugs which are considered inert and free of pharmacological effect by many patients and physicians. They are weak bases that neutralize the gastric acid and relief pain. These weak bases dissociate to neutralize gastric acid and form neutral salts. The ultimate goal of antacid therapy is to reduce the concentration and a total load of acid in gastric juice to a pH 4 - 5. This in vitro study was promised to study the acid neutralizing capacity (ANC) of six commonly available antacids tablets in the Iraqi market by using back titration method. The highest ANC values were for Rennie (17.131± 0.083 and 16.926± 0.052 mEq) in two different hydrochloric acid (HCl) concentrations 1N and 0.5 N, respectively. The static
... Show MoreBackground : The number of primary hip arthroplasty is growing with every passing year. At present this surgical operation has no equal in the rate of yielding good results. Despite the fact that in many cases in the long term after surgery radiolucent lines around the cup are observed, the clinical outcomes remain satisfactory.Aim of the study :To study the clinical and radiological manifestations of the aseptic loosening of the endoprosthesisMethods: This is a prospective study based on an analysis of diagnostic findings of 51 patients with aseptic loosening of hip joint components, aged 30 to 84 years. We depend for diagnosis of a septic losing by both clinical evaluation and X-ray assessment Results:The majority of clinical and
... Show MoreAsprosin was a novel adipokine that was released by white adipose tissue. It was activated by fasting and attracted to the liver, which allowed the liver to rapidly release glucose into the bloodstream. White adipose tissue was the source of asprosin. When people go on a fast, their blood sugar levels drop, which causes levels of the hormone asprosin to rise. It does this by binding to a G-protein-coupled receptor in the liver known as OR4M1, which in turn activates a cascade that involves the G -protein-cAMP-PKA pathway. Because of this, the glucose that is stored in the liver is released. We anticipate that by investigating the changes that occur in asprosin levels in hypothyroidism patients, we will be able to make a significant
... Show MoreIn this study, an easy, low-cost, green, and environmentally
friendlier reagents have been used to prepare CdS QDs, in chemical
reaction method by mixed different ratio of CdO and sulfur in
paraffin liquid as solvent and oleic acid as the reacting media in
different concentration to get the optimum condition of the reaction
to formation CdS QDs. The results give an indication that the
behavior is at small concentration of 4ml of the oleic acid is best
concentration which give CdS QDs of small about to 9.23 nm with
nano fiber configuration.